October 6, 2025

Nissan provides Ferris State Automotive Department with two vehicles to provide students with real-world skills, build a talented workforce

four men standing next to two vehicles — From left to right: Ferris State professor Dean Vanwormer, professor Jeremy Themm, faculty coordinator Patrick English, and Ferris State Auto alum Kevin Baumann, Field Training Program Management Office, Nissan Group of North America.

BIG RAPIDS, Mich. —

Nissan Motor Corporation is providing Ferris State University Automotive students with two vehicles to help them gain experience working with the most recent cars and trucks.

Dr. Patrick English, program coordinator for Ferris State’s Automotive Department, said the donations are the latest example of how the College of Engineering Technology partners with industry leaders to help students gain real world, in-demand skills and grow a talented workforce.

Nissan donated a Pathfinder, a sport-utility vehicle, for the Auto Service program and an all-electric Nissan Ariya, a compact crossover SUV, for the university’s new Sustainable Transportation Service program.

“These vehicles will provide our students with invaluable hands-on experience, helping them build practical skills that will help power their bright futures,” English said. “We focus on providing students with a pathway from college to careers. That works best when students are gaining skills using the latest vehicles. We deeply appreciate the support of Nissan, and the other industry leaders that invest in our students and keep Ferris State programs relevant.”

Nissan is one of the top 10 largest auto manufacturers in the world. It has been building Pathfinders since 1985. The Ariya debuted in 2022.

The donation will help bolster Ferris State’s growing national reputation for its commitment to sustainable transportation. The university this summer hosted EV Level 4 training on the Big Rapids campus, welcoming instructors from Maine to Oregon, and extending internationally into Canada.

Ferris State’s Automotive Center this fall launched a new Sustainable Transportation Technology program, funded in part by a National Science Foundation grant. The program includes sections on electrical and other alternative solutions for powering vehicles.

Ther program contains concepts related to electric vehicles and fuel cells, helping graduates prepare for successful work in the sustainable transport industry, even as fueling methods and power strategies change.

Sustainability is one of the four pillars of Ferris State’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan.

A leader in transportation education for more than 50 years, Ferris State’s College of Engineering Technology offers bachelor's degrees in Automotive Engineering Technology and Automotive Management, and a two-year Automotive Service Technology program, as well as performance machining and performance motor sports certificates.

The AET program trains students to work as technicians before proceeding into engineering studies, so students graduate with the knowledge to work as either engineers or technicians.